Clavicle splint



F. w. PETERSON ET AL 4 CLAVICLE SPLINI Sept. 28, 1948.

Filed Aug. 16, 1946 INVENTORS, F7 WPeZerson,

. BY OZZoSi/iirschnel ATTOH NEY.

Patented Sept. 28, 1948 CLAVICLE SPLINT Fred William Peterson, El Centro, Calif., and

. Otto S. Kirschner, Vashon, Wash.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 690,854

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to appliances used for the reduction of fractures of the collar bone or clavicle.

Objects of the invention are: to provide a clavicle splint that is not bulky, is light in weight, and has no protruding rigid members to interfere with the patients lying in almost any position; to provide a splint so designed and constructed that the patient ma wear ordinary clothing over the splint durin convalescense; to provide a splint which can be so manipulated and adjusted that the upward, outward, and backward movements can be effected and the up, out, and back position maintained; to provide a splint which employs the uninjured shoulder as a means of counter pressure to bring to bear pressure in an outward direction to the injured side; and to provide a splint whose metal parts are sufficiently rigid to maintain the position desired, yet are sufliciently flexible to permit forming them by hand to fit the various shapes of individual chests and shoulders.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will first be described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a front View showing the application of our invention to a patient.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail front elevation of a portion of the appliance, strap parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged detail view of a four-buckle unit used to connect the shoulder straps and belt strap at the back of the patient.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, parts being broken away, on a small scale.

In the drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, I represents the central connecting plate to which the arms or diagonal flat rods 3 are pivoted at 4 thereby forming what we term a V. The plate I has a vertical slot-forming loop 2 through which a chest strap 24 passes.

The upper ends of the flat rods 3 are pivoted at 8 to the arcuate bars 5 which are padded into approximately tubular form or circularcross-section by means of leather covered foam rubber pads 6, laced into place as at I to facilitate removal and replacement when soiled. At

the lower portions of the bars 3, loops 9 are pivoted as at It). The shoulder straps II are secured to these loops. Straps [2 are secured to the lower ends of the padded bars 5 while short straps l3 are secured to the upper ends of the 7 'same, the short straps being provided with buckles It. A back strap I5 is secured to one of the short straps l3 while a short back strap [6 is secured to the other short strap 13 and is provided with a buckle ll. The straps l2 cooperate with the respective buckles 14 while strap I5 cooperates with buckle I1.

I 8 is a triangular ring to two sides of which short straps 22 are secured. Buckles 23 are secured to the respective short straps 22 to receive .movement of the distal fragment of the clavicle is of the standard design of a strap and engaging buckle across the back of the shoulder, the mechanism to effect the upward and outward movements is novel and unique in our appliance. By

, raising the apex of the expanding V, after pulling the shoulder back with the strap l5 across the shoulder blades, the distal ends of the V members 3, with their attached, padded circular elements engaging the ball of the shoulder and the underarm, the distal end of the fractured clavicle is moved upward and outward, and by buckling the two straps I l which lead from the apex of the V up and over the proximal fragment to a junction of the strap 24 which girdles the chest at a point over the spine just below and between the lower edges of the scapulae, the up and out position is maintained. Stated in simple terms by cinching up on the four buckles 2!, 2|, 23, 23 in the center of the back, the ball of the shoulder and its attached distal fragment of the clavicle are moved upward and outward and rigidly held in this position. Simultaneously, the proximal fragment is depressed by the strap which passes over it, thus holding the two fragments in alignment. Another novel feature of our splint lies in the fact that it employs the uninjured shoulder as a means of counter pressure to brin to bear pressure in an outward direction on the injured side. The design of the splint is novel also in that it employs a longitudinal slot in or on the 3 central connecting member I of the V to permit the apex of the V to be moved upward without moving the strap which encircles the chest. This is an important feature in applying the splint to a female patient, where the body strap encircles the thorax just below the breasts.

In our splint the weight of the distal fragment and the arm is supported by the padded axillary member (5, 6, 1), which in turn is supported by one of the arms of the V. This again is supported by the shoulder strap passing over the proximal fragment of the broken clavicle. Accordingly, the problem of elevating the distal fragment into alignment with the proximal fragment is solved by a proper cinching of the shoulder strap to the point where the downward pressure on the proximal fragment just balances the lifting impetus of the axillary member supporting the distal fragment.

In as much as all of the supporting members of the splint bear only upon the shoulder girdle and the upper part of the thorax, flexing, bending, stooping, or twisting at the waist or hips do not alter the position of the skeletal parts of the shoulder girdle. In other words, only the shoulder girdle is immobilized, adding greatly to the comfort of the patient.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it is thought that the construction, operation and advantagesof our invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. A clavicle splint comprising a front connecting plate; a right and a left rod pivoted at one end of each to said plate and diverging upwardly' forming a V; right and left shoulder straps anchor-ed, one to each said rod adjacent the pivoted ends of the same; padded arcuate bars pivoted to the other ends of said rods; adjustable straps secured to the free ends of each said padded arcuate bars; an adjustable back strap connecting the upper ends of said padded arcuate bars; a chest strap engaging said front connecting plate; a back unit having connected buckle straps provided with four buckles with two of which said chest strap connects and with the other two of which said shoulder straps respectively connect.

2. A clavicle splint comprising a vertical front connecting member having a vertically elongated slot-like portion; a chest strap passing freely through said slot-like portion and being of less width than the length of said slot-like portion;

a right and a left fiat rod separately pivoted to said front connecting member adjacent the upper end of the same; padded arcuate members pivotally connected to the free ends of said right and left rods and engaging the ball of the shoulder and under the arm; adjustable straps connecting the free ends of said arcuate members; right and left shoulder straps pivotally connected respectively to said right and left rods; a back cross strap adjustably connecting the upper ends of said arcuate members; and a connecting unit comprising a triangular ring, a strap having a buckle at each end and slidably connected to one side of said ring and cooperating with said shoulder straps, straps with buckles secured to the other sides of said ring to cooperate with the respective ends of said chest strap.

3. A clavicle splint comprising a vertical front connecting member having a vertically elongated slot-like portion; a chest strap passing freely through said slot-like portion and being of less width than the length of said slot-like portion; a right and a left rod pivoted to said front connecting member; padded arcuate members connected to the free ends of said right and left rods and engaging the ball of the shoulder and under the arm; adjustable straps connecting the free ends of said arcuate members; right and left shoulder straps connected respectively to said right and left rods; a back cross strap adjustably connecting the upper ends of said arcuatemernbers; and a connecting unit comprising a triangular ring, a strap having a buckle at each end connected to one side of said ring and cooperating with said shoulder straps, and straps with bucklesv secured to the other sides of said ring to cooperate withthe respective ends of saidchest strap.

FRED WILLIAM PETERSON. OTTO S. KIRSCHNER.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,187,323 Kelton et al Jan. 16, 1940 2,223,276 Ward Nov. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 957 Great Britain Feb. 27, 1882 231,054 Germany Feb. 13, 1911 

